Jewish Studies Department Chair

Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy is a pluralistic Jewish day school serving grades 6-12. Located in Bryn Mawr, PA (metropolitan Philadelphia), Barrack is the premier Jewish day school in the Delaware Valley, attracting students from Philadelphia and its suburbs, Allentown, southern New Jersey, and Wilmington, Delaware. The school integrates a comprehensive and rigorous college preparatory curriculum with the teaching of essential Jewish and American values and texts. Guided by our Derech Eretz values of Honor, Moral Courage, Kindness and Community, Barrack values diversity, celebrates the richness of Judaism's language, culture, and history, and is strongly connected to Israel. Barrack prepares future leaders of the American, Jewish and global communities who work for a better world through acts of justice and compassion.
Please check out the academic program, extracurricular activities, and life of the school at www.jbha.org.
Position
Jack M. Barrack Hebrew Academy seeks a student-centered, open-minded, and proven leader to become the chair of its Jewish Studies Department beginning in July 2024. The department chair is the leader of the Jewish Studies Department, responsible for the vision, oversight, and implementation of a robust and thoughtful Jewish Studies program. The chair will have the opportunity to lead a talented faculty, collaborate with a supportive team of department chairs and administrators, partner with a dedicated group of families, and join with peers to engage and inspire an outstanding student body.

Reporting to the Middle and Upper School Directors, the chair will also have a strong relationship and partnership with the Head of School in setting a vision for Jewish Studies (currently includes course offerings in Tanach, Talmud, Jewish Thought, Rabbinic Literature, Israel, etc.). In addition to the supervision and management of faculty within the department, the chair will collaborate with members of the school’s leadership team as well as academic and non-academic departments within the school community.

The chair will work closely with the Director of Jewish Life and an Israel shaliach, to ensure that outside of the classroom, Barrack has a rich Jewish life and Israel-focused program that connects and inspires students to be active members of the larger Jewish community.

Candidates who have a background in both formal and experiential education will be considered for an expanded role which includes supervision of the Director of Jewish Life.

In addition to overall leadership of the department and its programs and courses, the appropriate candidate equally enjoys working with middle and high school students and teaching and mentoring students of all levels and backgrounds.

The ideal candidate will be able to lead and inspire, vision and implement, listen and communicate effectively, guiding the Jewish Studies program of a school with a 77-year rich history into the future and inspiring today's students to become the next generation of Jewish leaders.

Responsibilities of the role include, but may not be limited to:
Vision and oversight of the Jewish Studies program, including goal-setting, curriculum development and review, and ongoing professional development
Lead, support, manage, and supervise Jewish Studies faculty, including hiring, placement, and evaluation of team members
Fulfill administrative responsibilities such as determining course offerings, schedule design, course placement of students, leading and attending meetings, and management of department budget
Partner with Senior leadership, Division Directors, and Department Chairs as a vital member of a larger school team
Teach classes, lead and/or partner in coordination of tefila program with Jewish life staff, lead and/or partner in Jewish life programming with Jewish life staff, and be actively involved in the co-curricular life of the school
Foster an environment that is student-centered and joyful and seeks to ensure Jewish Studies is both an engaging intellectual pursuit and a daily opportunity for inspiration
Partner with parents and represent the school in the larger community at events such as Open Houses, parlor meetings, volunteer opportunities, and more
Coordinate and create educational opportunities for students through outreach and partnerships in the community; serve as the liaison between the school and multiple community and education partners
Work collaboratively with other departments in the school community to fulfill the mission of our school
Dream, create, and build a program to best meet the needs of students in 2024 and beyond
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have proven leadership experience in Jewish educational settings along with the following qualities and qualifications:
An advanced degree in Jewish Education, Rabbinic Ordination, Educational Administration, or a related field
Serve as a passionate voice for Jewish day school education and the values of a klal Yisrael education and community
Administrative and/or supervisory experience
Classroom teaching experience or other relevant teaching experience including curriculum development
Outstanding verbal and written communication skills
Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to multitask
Knowledge about educational trends, including but not limited to differentiated instruction, project-based learning, multiple forms of assessment, student-engagement, and educational technology
Outstanding ability to be an active listener in all situations
Ability to engage, at times, in challenging conversations with parents, students and/or faculty
Ability to develop clear and aspirational goals and the ability to share those goals to motivate all constituents
Desire to encourage feedback from students, faculty, parents and leadership along with the ability to deliver feedback
Commitment to being a team-player and working well with others
Sense of humor, enjoys working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment and ability to be flexible
Has an innate love of working with students

About the Community

Greater Philadelphia is home to a diverse and involved Jewish community offering many options for engagement in Jewish life. Philadelphia boasts an ample choice of synagogues, Jewish community organizations, and an abundant availability of kosher food.

Salary and Benefits

The position comes with a competitive benefit package that includes health insurance, 403 (b) retirement plan with a high employer match, group long term disability plan, sick and personal time, and a 50% tuition remission for children who attend Barrack.

Salary is commensurate with background and experience.

Interested candidates should send a cover letter, resume, and educational philosophy statement to Debra Nathans.